Tinsel
by one true voice
Summary: A festive fic


Tinsel

Glancing at the tinsel that surrounding doorway, Rachel looked back at the culprit who was smiling innocently; obviously aware of Rachel's thoughts and already expecting the answer to his unreciprocated question.

"One glass and that's it…" Rachel said with a smile on her face that had been apparent ever since she had woken up that morning, although the comment held the authority which implied it was to be obeyed. The young man in front of her frowned pretending to be in consideration, he was the young man that had succeeded where others; perhaps older and wiser, had failed…he had by-passed the barriers around Rachel's heart as she cared about him and he cared about her.

"Aww, come on Rach…it's Christmas" he replied with a genuine happy expression his face, Christmas was something that he hadn't truly experienced before and never 'the Mason way'.

"No Phil, I mean it…you have used that excuse for everything today" she replied with the same infectious smile that she often used in matters involving Phillip.

"True Rach but you have to admit that the tinsel around the doors does look brilliant, even if I do say so, myself" the matured young man replied as he was unrecognisable to the shy, retiring boy that had initially arrived on her door-step several months previously. Rachel rolled her eyes, "and every window" she injected questioning how her house had become covered in tinsel especially as before a few weeks ago she didn't have any tinsel or request it.

On hearing her comment, Phil and another person witness to the conversation smiled at one another, basking the house in a content silence until it was broken by the guest, "she just doesn't appreciate it does she mate".

Rachel spun around by the sound of the guest voice, not aware that he was witnessing such a conversation where her professionalism was lost and she was placing her life under scrutiny to someone else…someone who was unaware of the details of her chequered past. The brief smile which was exchanged between the pair of them caused butterflies to race through both of their stomachs knowing that the feelings they were harbouring were becoming harder to resist; especially as Christmas is the time when the truth can be told.

"About the wine…bad luck mate but I guess that once a head teacher; always a head teacher" he joked as he evaded a playful hit that Rachel had aimed at his arm. "Yes and don't you forget that Mr. Mead" Rachel replied with another smile before reverting her attention back to Phil, smiling as he had been witnessing the connection between the pair of them, "Now Phil, don't listen to Chris because although he believes he has privileges due to being the guest, he forgets that he is only the deputy therefore unless he supports me in such matters, he may find himself looking for a new job in the New Year" Rachel replied deliberately avoiding eye-contact with Chris in an attempt to relive the butterflies that were racing in her stomach.

"So let me check…just one glass" Phillip asked; knowing that Rachel would never back down, "yes" the pair of colleagues replied with their unbreakable bond; the bond that had strengthened over the recent months which they had worked closer together. Rachel walked out of lounge leaving the two men in her wake, Phil glared at Chris, "I thought that you were on my side" he hissed trying to avoid Rachel hearing, knowing that she was only in the other room as she was carrying food from the kitchen into the dining room.

"Sorry mate, but my only excuse can be there is a recession at the moment". Chris replied with a smile to the lad whose company he was starting to enjoy, the conservation was halted by the sound of Rachel calling for them to help her.

"Cracker-time!" Phil exclaimed excitedly while the two adults at the table sipped their wine both questioning how they found themselves in the current situation and blushing frequently throughout the Christmas Lunch something that hadn't gone amiss by Phil.

Thrusting crackers towards the pair of them, they had no choice but to comply with his demands, gripping the crackers meant that both Chris and Rachel had something to focus on, as the distractions that kept their feelings at bay at work were lost and they were in danger of being further exposed.

'Bang!' Two of the crackers were pulled however Rachel and Chris were still fighting over the one between them; with neither of them prepared to admit defeat as their competitive streak was determined to shine through.

"Aren't you going to admit defeat Mason" Chris asked inquisitive wondering whether she was prepared to let her professionalism slip further, "Never Mead" Rachel replied as the cracker finally split causing silence to fill the room once more in a tense atmosphere. Their eyes locked across the table with both of them becoming attracted to the others eyes…another unbreakable bond. Phil started smirking knowing that their feelings weren't as platonic as they had initially tried to maintain.

After moments of silence, Phil coughed to remind them of his presence, something that pulled them from their connection and caused a further blush to rise in Rachel's cheeks. Excusing herself from the table she retreated to the kitchen, where resting against the work-surface she attempted to lower her heart-rate and strengthen her self-control that nothing could or would happen with Chris.

"Rach…can you come here a minute" Phil called from the lounge; the absence of Chris's voice concerned her slightly but trying to resist her thoughts slipping to him once more, she opened the door and proceeded to enquire what he wanted.

Rachel was puzzled as she saw a confused Chris standing in the door-way of the lounge with no Phil in sight, "where is he?" Rachel questioned something that baffled her further when Chris explained that he had been told to stand there while Phil retreated upstairs.

The pair of them stood in an awkward silence, both trying to avoid eye-contact and wait patiently for the re-entry of Phil. Feeling the urge to gaze into her eyes, he knew the only thing he could do was to close his eyes; to try and resist the temptation.

"Where is that boy?" his lips murmured something which caused his eyes to open knowing that he just because he couldn't see Rachel didn't mean that he stopped thinking about her. Looking upwards he was now observing the tinsel that he had aided Phil to decorate the room; with a slight smile Chris realised the meaning behind their current position.

"Erm, Rach…I think he was trying to tell us something" he stated as he just his eyes to gesture to the piece of mistletoe that had been lost in the vast array of tinsel. Tilting his head to one side, he met Rachel's eyes as they both contemplated their next move.


End file.
